Israel must accept Palestinian state: Biden

Washington, May 6 (ANI): Vice-President Joe Biden has placed America on a collision course with Israel, urging the new government to accept the goal of a Palestinian state and stop expanding Jewish settlements on occupied land. Biden used an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee - the leading pro-Israeli lobby group in the United States - to deliver a tough message to Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s new prime minister.

“Israel has to work for a two-state solution. You’re not going to like my saying this, but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement,” The Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Netanyahu, by contrast, has not accepted the principle of a Palestinian state and his government plans to build more homes inside existing Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It has also refrained from removing any of the illegal settler outposts that Biden mentioned.

Biden’s comments have brought the differences between America and Israel into the open. They come ahead of Netanyahu’s first official visit to Washington, expected later this month. (ANI)